The present, invention relates to underpants, particularly boxer shorts or similar garments, in which the bodyxe2x80x94which is that between the waistband and the legsxe2x80x94is provided, at the front, with an elongate slot whose direction is at least approximately perpendicular to the waistband of said underpants, this slot being able to act flies.
Such underpants, which are principally intended for men and are described for example in documents U.S. Pat. No. 1, 661, 072 and U.S. Pat. No. 2, 822, 807 have the disadvantage that said slot tends to fall open, and they cannot therefore fulfill their function of comfortably enveloping the anatomy of the men wearing them. Such a disadvantage is exacerbated the tighter the fit of the underpants and the more flexible the fabric thereof.
To overcome this disadvantage, one idea has been to keep said slot closed, e.g. by means of press-studs (see for example document U.S. Pat. NO. 2, 459, 043). However, in the latter case such press-studs make the underpants uncomfortable to wear.
In light of the above, most close-fitting boxer shorts made of modern materials consisting of elastic fibers of very small diameter (of the order of microns) have no flies, which is obviously contrary to masculine anatomy and complicates the task of the wearer when answering a call of nature.
It is an object of the present invention to overcome these disadvantages.
To this end, according to the invention, the pair of underpants, particularly a pair of boxer shorts or other such garment, the body of which is provided, at the front, with an elongate slot whose direction is at least approximately perpendicular to the waistband of the underpants, this slot being able to act as the flies, is noteworthy in that:
two pieces of flexible material are attached to the front of the underpants, the attached pieces being superimposed on each other and covering the slot;
the attached pieces are fastened to the front of the underpants by lines of stitches whose general directions run traversely to the waistband on either side of the slot and at a distance from it; and
those edges of the attached pieces which are furthest from the waistband are slanted with respect thereto in opposite directions and intersect, forming a re-entrant angle, in the vicinity of the opposite end of the slot from the waistband.
The present invention thus provides a pair of underpants in which the flies remain spontaneously closed for the comfort and modesty of the man wearing them, the flies being equally accessible to right-handed and left-handed persons, for their intentional opening, by the introduction of a hand into the re-entrant angle and through the slot.
The body of the underpants in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention preferably comprises two component pieces assembled by lines of stitches, the first of the component pieces at least partially forming the front, while the second forms at least the back and sides of the body.
These underpants therefore have no seam down the back, making them very comfortable to wear.
On the other hand, it is advantageous in the making of these underpants, for the first component piece to be made up of two elements assembled by a line of stitches continuing on from the slot, and the body to comprise a third component piece in the crotch of the underpants.
In a preferred embodiment, the first component piece is mostly covered by the attached pieces and the attached pieces are fastened to the of the underpants by lines of stitches assembling the first and second component pieces.
To further enhance the comfort procured by the underpants according to the invention, the underpants comprise an internal bag as a support for the scrotum, the bag being attached to the front of the body and being provided with a slot opposite that of the body. This prevents undesirable swinging of the scrotum and excessive tension at the groin. Furthermore, such an internal bag assists cleanliness.
The internal support bag and the front of the body are preferably attached to each other by stitches along the superimposed edges of their respective slots.
The underpants in accordance with the present invention may also comprise an internal piece that covers the end, furthest from the waistband, of the slot of the body, the internal covering piece being attached to the front of the body by stitches at a distance from the slot, in order to have an action such as to tend to close the slot without preventing it from being opened intentionally.
In addition, in order to ensure that the waistband does not slide down when the wearer is crouchingxe2x80x94causing the shirt to spill out of the pantsxe2x80x94it is advantageous that, in the underpants according to the invention, the front of said waistband is lower than its back.
For esthetic purposes, each of said attached pieces may have a color which is different from the color of the other attached piece, and from the color of said underpants. Such different colors may be in opposition or indeed associated tone for tone.